Morice, Lacelle big bats for Chiefs

Prep sports recaps

RICHLAND - Getting off to a good start in Columbia Basin League play was crucial for the Moses Lake baseball team on Friday.

Considering the opponent, Moses Lake's start could certainly be classified a success.

The Chiefs split their CBL doubleheader with the defending 4A champion Bombers, holding off a Richland rally to win the opener 10-9. The Bombers crushed the Chiefs in the nightcap, 17-1, but Moses Lake still left the Tri-Cities with their first win against Richland in four years.

"The guys came out and punished the ball against a good pitcher," Chiefs coach Ed McNamara said via e-mail. "We had a successful squeeze in the second (inning) and put pressure on them."

After trailing 1-0 after one, Moses Lake exploded for four runs in the second, highlighted by the squeeze bunt. Five more runs in the fourth gave the Chiefs a 10-4 advantage, but the Bombers weren't about to quit.

Richland scored three times in the sixth and once in the seventh before reliever Brock Lybbert shut the door. Lybbert saved the win for Troy Stephens, who lasted five innings and struck out six.

Moses Lake had 10 hits, with Aaron Morice going 4 for 5 with a pair of doubles. Jacob Lacelle homered and drove in three runs, Kyle Hickman was 2 for 3 with three RBI, and Lybbert added a triple and two RBI.

In game two, Richland was never threatened after posting a six-run first against Chiefs starter Drew Martin. Moses Lake's only run came courtesy of Dylan Signorelli's solo homer in the fifth.

Moses Lake heads to Walla Walla on Tuesday for a 1 p.m. start.

Othello 16-10, Toppenish 2-0

OTHELLO - The Huskies banged out 19 hits en route to a pair of Central Washington Athletic Conference routs of the Wildcats.

In game one, Othello had a 6-0 lead after three innings and removed all doubt with a 10-run fourth. Starting pitcher James Valdez held Toppenish to one hit through three innings, and J.P. Underhill led the offensive fireworks by going 2 of 2 with three RBI. Teammate Chris Brunetti was 2 of 3 with a homer and three RBI.

In the nightcap, Othello put up four runs in the third, three in the fourth and two in the fifth to enact the mercy rule. The Huskies had eight hits and took advantage of six Wildcat errors.

Underhill again had a huge game at the plate, finishing 3 for 3 with a double, triple, two runs scored and one RBI. Lee Gomez was 2 for 3 with two RBI for Othello.

Quincy 14-6, Wapato 4-5

QUINCY - The Jackrabbits were 0-4 in CWAC play entering Saturday's twinbill with the Wolves, but quickly got things back on track.

In game one, Quincy scored four times in the first, totaled nine hits and were the beneficiaries of seven Wapato errors.

Kelly Wells scattered eight hits to earn the win for Quincy.

In game two, the Jacks scored the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Quincy starter Colby Melburn didn't get the win, but kept his team close by allowing four runs in six innings of work.

Ephrata 8-1, East Valley 7-15

EPHRATA - The Tigers and Red Devils split their CWAC doubleheader on Saturday, with Ephrata rallying late in game one.

Ephrata (2-3 CWAC) had an early 4-1 lead, but East Valley scored four times in the fourth to go ahead 5-4. Ephrata got two in the fifth and two more in the sixth for what appeared to be a commanding lead, but starter Tyler Lesko gave up two in the seventh before retiring the side.

The Tigers scored their eight runs on seven hits to beat University of Washington recruit Kevin Komstadius.

Lesko struck out eight in the victory and got big support from Derrick Webb, who was 3 for 3 with a double and two RBI. Komstadius homered and teammate Trent Sikes was 3 of 4 with two doubles and two RBI for East Valley (4-1 CWAC).

The Red Devils' momentum carried over into game two, as they knocked Ephrata's Ryan Lutz from the game after taking a 6-0 lead through three innings.

Komstadius was 3 of 5 with a homer and five RBI to fuel the blowout. Ryan Schoonover added a solo blast for EV, while Bobby Pottenger and Josh Hansen combined for five RBI.

Warden 4-17, Zillah 7-5

ZILLAH - The Cougars rallied to win game two of their South Central Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Leopards.

Warden trailed 3-0 after three innings in game two, but the Cougars' bats came alive during a three-run fourth, a six-run fifth and an eight-run sixth. Warden had 12 hits off four Zillah pitchers.

In game one, the Leopards took control with a four-run third and won despite six defensive errors. Zillah starter Blake Dasso limited Warden to four hits and three walks, picking up the complete-game win by striking out seven.

Royal 4-12, Cle Elum-Roslyn 5-3

CLE ELUM - The Knights also used a game two win to split their SCAC twinbill with the Warriors.

Royal starter Connor Paysse went the distance in the opener, but took the loss after plunking Cody Hill with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh. Paysse surrendered just three hits in defeat. The Knights managed only four hits against Warrior starter Terrence Cushing, striking out eight times.

In game two, Marc Albertson provided solid pitching for Royal, allowing only two hits in seven innings.

Royal's bats got going during a three-run third, and the Knights added three in the fifth and six in the sixth to blow the game open. Cle Elum-Roslyn committed five errors in the loss.

Moses Lake 3, Eisenhower 1

MOSES LAKE - The Chiefs got three goals from three different players to beat the Cadets in a CBL 4A contest on Saturday.

Senior forward Richie Ramirez - a Walla Walla Community College recruit - put Moses Lake on the board in the first minute thanks to an assist by Dominic Anzellini. The Chiefs increased their halftime margin to 2-0 after Mitch Harder set up Devin Petersen in the 12th minute.

Eisenhower narrowed its deficit to 2-1 in the 53rd minute, but Moses Lake's defense stayed strong and Anzellini put the game away in the 74th minute off a pass from Ramirez.

The Chiefs (3-1 overall, 2-1 CBL) out-shot the Cadets 16-12, and Harder made nine saves.

Quincy 3, Selah 0

SELAH - The Jackrabbits dominated in all facets of the game to blank the Vikings in CWAC play on Saturday.

Quincy's Christian Medina continued his scoring onslaught by finding the net in the first minute of play. Juan Guerrero scored at the 16-minute mark, and teammate Luis Sorto capped the scoring in the 60-minute.

Quincy (3-2 overall, 3-0 CWAC) got four saves from goalkeeper Francisco Tafoya.

Royal 4, Goldendale 0

ROYAL CITY - The Knights ran away from the Timberwolves in SCAC action on Saturday, piling up a 35-2 advantage in shots on goal.

Royal went up 2-0 at the half after Salvador Vega scored in the 15th minute, assisted by Luis Esquivel, and tallied again 10 minutes later.

Shaq Ledezma got on the board with an Adam Martinez assist five minute into the second half, and Hilario Marmolejo ended the scoring in 75th minute as Esquivel picked up his second assist.

Benny Carmona made one save for Royal.

Highland 3, Warden 0

WARDEN - The Cougars had more chances than the Scots, but Highland made good on its opportunities to pick up an SCAC win.

Highland's Jesus Silva had all three goals, scoring in the third, 40th and 62nd minutes. Warden had 14 shots on goal to Highland's 13, but Scots keeper Alvaro Salcedo recorded 12 saves and the shutout.

Martin Aguilar had eight stops for Warden,

Moses Lake 4, Walla Walla 3

MOSES LAKE - The Chiefs stayed unbeaten as their lower-seeded players did well against the Blue Devils in the Columbia Basin League 4A opener.

Moses Lake (4-0 overall, 1-0 CBL) got its usual strong effort from top-seeded single Ben Nye, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Greg Basel. No. 4 single Paul Asfour collected a 6-3, 0-6, 6-4 victory against Cameron Davis.

The Chiefs' No. 2 doubles team of Ethan Hall and Kyle Livingston dominated Walla Walla's Jack Crouter and Tyler Garrett (6-2, 6-2), and the No. 3 team of Dominic Cacchiotti and Derek McMains were just as impressive in beating Jeff Ladderud and Kevin Leier (6-2, 6-0).

Moses Lake's No. 2 single, Adrian Juarez, dropped a 4-6, 0-6 decision to Ricardo Hepp. No. 3 seed Connor Lange sustained a heartbreaking loss to Justin Dalke, 6-4, 4-6, 6-7 (5-7).

At No. 1 doubles, Walla Walla's Matt Johnson and Kyle Rowley took out David Asfour and Danny Reis in a hotly-contested match, winning 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), 3-6.